Under Feeding Fish??

[new to tanks]

I am worried I am under feeding my fish & inverts. . .
I have a 75 g tank with:
1 Auriga Butterfly
1 Scooter Bleeny
1 Fridmani Pseudochromis
2 Damsels
2 Percula Clowns
1 Blue Regal Tang
1 Mandarin Goby
3 Emerald Crabs
2 Sand Sifting Stars
1 Skunk Shrimp
1 Coral Banded Shrimp (mean guy)
2 anonomes (bubble and carpet)
Lots of snails
I am currently feeding them 3 frozen cubes a day (emerald entree, brine shrimp, and a carnivore combo with vitamins) . . Is that enough, it takes them more than 3 minutes to eat it, but there doesn't ever seam to be food on the bottom, and my butterfly acts like he's starving. . .he goes nuts when I put food in the tank . . .
Also am I missing any other diet needs? I do have some additives that I put in about once a week (micro-vert, Pro buffer, essential elements)

 

[oregonbud]

Welcome to SWF.com
I don't think you are underfeeding at all, I am assuming you are feeding once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and then once at night, or are you feeding once a day?
Your mandarin and scooter blenny should be eating pods, and typically will not eat frozen or flake food. You don't feed your inverts as they feed on the leftovers (most of the time this is too small for us to see what they are eating)
You may want to check into some specialized feeding for your tang - I believe they are more of a herbivore then carnivore, and should have nori supplements as well as other vegetive matter, to meet their dietary requirements.
Not to be critical but I am sure others will say this - it really does sound like your tank is a bit on the overstocked side, which may partially account for the strange behavior you are seeing.

 

[new to tanks]

Thanks for the info, I was only feeding twice a day . .
Guess I got bad advice from the LFS, he told me with the amount of filtration, and my protein skimmer, I was fine with the # of inhabitants. I'll watch the water parameters . . to tell you the truth I never expected everything to live . .I may try to see if I can get rid of my damsels, if a store will take them or something . .
Thanks!

 

[oregonbud]

How long has your tank been up for?
Do you have live rock, if so how much?
What are you using for a substrate?
If this is a new tank, and you are new to the hobby, I would say keep the damsels amd take the angel, tang, and manderin back.
A 75 g tank is a bit on the small side for an angel and tang (most people recommend at least 100g for both of these fish)
If you do not have a DSB with an established pod population I am afraid you will lose both your mandarin and your scooter blenny.
Damsels are about the easiest fish to keep, and inexpensive, so they make a great starter fish (the downside to them is they are a bit agressive at times and a pain in the butt to catch if you ever want to get rid of them)
I hate to say this, but it sounds like your LFS was more into making a buck, then setting you up with a proper setup you will be able to enjoy for years to come.
I would really like to know more about your tank specifics(amount of LR, flitration, powerheads, substrate type, how long it has been running etc), that will help everyone give you better replies as well.

 

[new to tanks]

Tank has been up and running for about 10 weeks, first 5 without any fish at all.
I have a wet/dry filter, and protein skimmer, I have a large return pump on my sump, so the one power head seams to be enough motion.
I put the damsels in about 5 weeks ago and have slowly adding a couple of things each week.
My water parameters have remained constant since about week 4, 1.023sg, 0 nitrate, nitrite, and amonia, PH steady at 8.2.
I have about 95lbs. of live rock, mix of figi and marshall island. . .and live sand about 3 inches on the bottom.
THANKS for the advice . . .my friend has kept a 75 gallon for three years with a blue and yellow tang . . .kinda why I thought the tang and butterfly would be ok.

 

[oregonbud]

It sounds like you are off to a pretty good start, especially if your levels are zeros across the board.
Unfortunately it sounds like you added too much too quick, but if your water chemistry is not indicating an overload (ammonia spike, etc) then you may be alright.
The one thing I can say almost positively is that you will likely lose the mandarin and the scooter, if you do some searching on here and other places, you will see that the majority of people that have success with those particular fish, waited at least 6 months to allow the pod population to grow, before they added them. Just to give you an idea I have a 55 that was up for 6 months, 70lbs LR, 4"DSB, and could see pods everywhere, I got a scooter blenny, he lasted about two months before he decimated the pod population and I had to take him back because I thought he was starving.
I have never kept a tang nor an angel, simply because I don't feel that my tank is large enough. Some people have success keeping those particular fish in smaller tanks, but the majority of things I have read indicate that placing those fish in a small tank can cause a variety of problems from Ich to HLLE.

 

[rgaquarist]

I think you should seriously consider adding a refugium because without it (even with the decent amount of rock you have), chances are that the Mandarin and Scooter Blenny will have starved to death by this time next year.
They eat a lot! They have competition for their pod supply too. A refugium will allow their needed live food supply to keep reproducing in a place where they won't be wiped out.
Overall, I think you are overstocked too. That's a lineup for a 125 at least. If your fish (Even the Clownfish!) disappear, it's probably the carpet anemone. I would use the Brine Shrimp as a treat and for small fish food, but Mysis Shrimp would be better for your Butterfly and Tang.
I agree with the 3 times a day recommendation.

 

[aileena]

In all honesty you are not that overstocked...with that much LR and a good skimmer you are in pretty good shape in my opinion with a 75g tank...
BUT I would get rid of the scotter blenny and/or the mandarin...I might also get rid of the two damsels as they are really a pain in the a^& in my opinion.
a tang and an butterfly are just fine in a 75g...I have a yellow tang in my 60g and will add a coral beauty soon...I also have 2 clowns...
you should make sure you have proper lighting for the anemones as well or they will die...you should also feed them mysis and or squid...I am just learning about anemones myself...vhos or metal halides would do fine..i have vhos
oh by the way welcome to the board